THE WINTER OF DISCONTENT. 127 



Parish Council, unfortunately did nothing at all until the 

 passing of the Small Holdings and Allotment Act of 1907, 

 and there are over 5,000 of these parishes in England and 

 Wales. This fact points conclusively to small rural com- 

 munities being overawed by those who possessed or occupied 

 the land, and probably in such parishes the majority of the 

 labourers live in farm-tied cottages. 



The Parish Councils Act undoubtedly reduced the author- 

 ity of the squire and the parson in parochial affairs. The 

 farmer class, however, almost everywhere captured and 

 controlled the Rural District Council, which is the real 

 executive body in rural districts. The Rural District 

 Councils are largely the Guardians of the Poor. They decide 

 whether cottages are to be built or not ; they control the high- 

 ways ; they are the sanitary authority, and they are the 

 executive body with regard to rights of way, wayside wastes, 

 commons, and water supply. The Parish Council may not 

 spend beyond the amount of a threepenny rate, without the 

 consent of the Parish Meeting, but with its consent the limit 

 is extended to the princely rate of 6d. in the pound. 



The County Council in 1894, and for a great number of 

 years to follow, was almost as out of reach of the agricultural 

 labourer as the House of Lords. Ever since the County 

 Council was instituted it was regarded as the preserve of 

 the land-owning class with a sprinkling of large farmers, land 

 agents, and successful business men. Many County Coun- 

 cillors are still returned unopposed ; a selection of suitable 

 candidates being arranged at the principal club or hotel of 

 the county capital. 



I once assisted a carpenter to contest a County Council 

 seat in Suffolk ; but that was not until a year or two before 

 the Great War, and even then the good people of Suffolk 

 were so amazed that one of their own class should attack a 

 county seat that nothing would convince them that a 

 County Councillor did not receive a salary of 200 a 

 year ! 



It was almost as difficult for a labourer to sit on a Rural 

 District Council, for it meant losing a day's work at least 

 once a month, and either a very long walk, or else the cost 



